Susan Pevensie

Cuirass

Cuirass: (kwi-rass)—a cuirass is armor consisting of two parts, a breast and backpiece
fastened together at the sides by means of straps and buckles.
Historically, it was originally made of leather, which is where
its name originates, but was later made with metal.

Construction

The main part of the cuirass is a leather, rather mottled and
aged looking, with red undertones and brown over it. It's two
pieces, front and back, probably of molded, hardened
leather (called cuir boilli). Molding and hardening leather
is generally done by soaking the leather in water, or boiling
it, and letting it dry on a mold. However, the bust and waist
may be backed with some metal pieces, as the leather seems to
wrinkle some, particulary in this
image, from just below the bust to just above the "belt,"
but the bust and waist areas are very smooth and stiff.

It fully laces up the sides with a dark leather cord, through
about eight rivets up each side it pulls together (thus, sixteen
on the left, sixteen on the right). The leather cords hang past
the end of the lacing by several inches.

All the edges of the cuirass are finished with the same leather,
chainstitched down.

There's a border at the top of the cuirass of embossed daffodils:
alternating a daffodil blossom, then two stems, then a blossom
again. The flower-ends of the stems are pointed down.

Straps

The straps seem to be more of a design feature
than to be of practical use. They're mostly dyed a reddish brownish
color, some more red than others. Most are riveted at the front,
and they curve around back, over the lacing, to tie with leather
cord at the back in different places, either to itself, or to
straps that are riveted to the back.

There are two main horizontal straps, one large belt (1) that
extends off the bottom edge of the cuirass, and a strap at the
bust that extends from underneath the left side of the bust to
up over the right side (2). Both are riveted on in some places,
possibly glued or otherwise attached in others, and both extend
around the back and attach with leather points.

The center piece of the large waist belt (1) has a large medallion
in a tarnished silver color, with shapes radiating out like petals
or rays that make it look like it's either shaped like a daffodil,
or perhaps a sun. Also, from larger images, it appears that the
medallion is tied around with pieces of twine or fabric. The pieces
to either side of it also have small medallions, similarly shaped.

The center piece of the strap at the bust also has a couple of
medallions. The center one is similar to the largest belt medallion—it's
a tarnished silver color, also with twine wrapped around it. Then
there are two small gold pieces, one to each side, wrapped a little
with some leather cord.

There are also many straps that cross and go under the main two
horizontal straps. Two, one brown and one red, over her right
shoulder, one red over her left shoulder, cross over and attach
at the back. Some extend off the edge of the cuirass: notice the
two underneath the large waist belt (1) that show below the edge
at the center part. Also, the strap that goes over her left shoulder
extends down to her right side and off the cuirass.